Yesterday I had the good fortune to attend the inauguration of Virginia’s 71st governor, Bob McDonnell.  All the guests were full of energy and enthusiasm as we watched him take the oath of office, along with his Lieutenant-Governor Bob Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.  It really felt like being at a concert of my favorite rockstar – the excitement goes beyond description. I couldn’t do it justice if I tried. There was a little something for everyone, from the flyover after the oath to the Redskins cheerleaders to the history in which Richmond is steeped.  The next four years should be good for Virginia and I pray for the Governor and his family.

Below is the full text of his Inaugural Address, courtesy of #bobmcdonnell: (more…)

Sadly, I can’t claim credit for this one.  I stumbled across this per a friend of a friend of a relation of a loose acquaintance (or something like that) online, but check out the acorns. Maybe I shouldn’t post this. I don’t want to give anyone ideas.

In the Pantheon of Rock music Lynyrd Skynyrd reigns supreme. However, running a very close second is AC/DC and Motorhead. I have expounded on the greatness of AC/DC before. Consequently, fairness demands that I give Motorhead their due.

Few bands represent Rock & Roll in its purest form like Motorhead. Their defiant and rebellious damn-the-torpedos attitude grabbed me the first time I heard Killed By Death. I have been a committed fan ever since. In fact, I have always fancied the song my personal anthem. Additionally, you just have to love a video with Lemmy crashing through walls and rising from the grave riding a Harley.

For those of you that appreciate good music check out Motorhead’s latest CD Motorizer. As Lemmy would say, buy it or “forever remain a vagrant on the sidewalk of life.”

An absolutely brillant put-down of Andrew Sullivan by Christopher Badeaux.

Poor Sully is going to have to go to the burn unit after this.

Steven Crowder = Hilarious

To help cleanse the palate from the glowing posts of Lincoln and Yankee generals, may I  present pictures and quotes of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson:

Robert E. Lee

“Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.” (link)

Stonewall Jackson

“Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me.” He added, after a pause, looking me full in the face: “That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave” (link)

Ah…much better!

Speaking of birthdays, I thought I’d give a brief shout-out to one of my favorite Civil War generals, Winfield Scott Hancock.  (He’s Union – I’m a Yankee at heart)  Commanding the 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac, he was the ideal soldier, though his wartime vocabulary has been described as “sulphiric”.  Postwar, he ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic ticket against my very distant relative, James Garfield. His wikipedia page here.

This is the image gracing my laptop’s desktop.